Browns suffer only 2nd 0-16 year

PITTSBURGH >> It was a lost season distilled to one play, filled with hope and achingly familiar anguish for a franchise that’s known little else over the last two decades.

Fourth down. Trailing by four. One last shot at avoiding NFL infamy. Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer somehow escaped pressure. He worked to his left and flicked the ball to receiver Corey Coleman all alone on the sideline, well past the first-down marker.

The ball smacked off Coleman’s hands then fell harmlessly to the frigid Heinz Field turf. Two minutes later, the clock hit zero. Pittsburgh 28. Cleveland 24. Woe and 16.

The Browns joined the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams to go winless during a 16-game season.

And owner Jimmy Haslam remains intent on doing it with head coach Hue Jackson. Haslam reiterated Jackson will return in 2018 despite a 1-31 record through two seasons.

Kizer finished with 314 yards passing and two touchdowns to Rashard Higgins but also threw a fourthquarter pick, his NFL-leading 22nd of the season.

While there were bouts of competency, including a pair of takeaways by the defense and long Kizer hookups to Higgins and Josh Gordon, the Browns simply could not get out of their own way. Twice in the first half they drew third-down defensive penalties that extended Pittsburgh drives. Three times in the fourth quarter they had the ball and a chance to go ahead.

The first two ended with turnovers, giving Cleveland an NFL-high 41 on the season. The third ended with Kizer somehow escaping pressure on fourth down at the Pittsburgh 27 only to have his pass clank off Coleman’s hands.